Across From Your Happiness
by aquagirl520
Summary: Shinichi and Shiho both turned back to their normal selfs, and now they're living together, and Ran is getting the wrong impression. Shinich/Shiho, Shinichi/Ran
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Hi, another new chapter story!! I keep doing this to myself, typing stories even though I probably won't have time to finish. But I'll definitely try.

Disclaimer: "I don't own DC", aquagirl520 said yet again. "Do I have to keep saying that?" XD

(Shinichi's POV)

Chapter 1

"Haibara! Hakase!" I yelled, staring disbelievingly at the wreckage that has once been Agasa Hakase's home. I tried to pull away from Takagi-keiji holding me back, to do something-- "Let go!" I shouted, unable to get away in my child's form.

"We're fine." A weak voice said faintly behind me, I turned around to find Ai, her hair disheveled and supporting Hakase. They both bearing various cuts and bruises, but they were alive. I let out a relieved breath.

"What happened!? I thought- how did you..." I was babbling, but I didn't care. I traced a still bleeding cut on her cheek with a finger. She winced and pulled away.

"It's nothing, the glass shattered when the explosion..." she said hastily. "Hakase has a sprained ankle, but otherwise we're okay."

I looked around. They're still trying to put the fire out. The house was completely destroyed.

"What happened? Who did this?" I asked, though I thought I might already know the answer. And my suspisions were confirmed when Ai answered.

"Vermouth."

"She called my cell phone and said, 'Better get out, Sherry, the clock is ticking...' the bomb was set to explode in ten seconds, I barely had time to warn Hakase, then I went back..."

"YOU WENT BACK!?" I yelled, incredulous, Takagi turned in surprise. She ignored me.

"... and the bomb went off just as we ran out from the back door."

"You went back? What the hell is so important that you have to go back for?" I asked again.

"I had to save some things..." she said, looking at me stubbornly, wrapping her coat tighter around herself. I could see a corner of the frame of her sister's photograph that she kept by her bed. I sigh, exasperated.

"And," she continued, a smile tugging at the edge of her lips. I looked at her questioningly. She held out her palm. On it lay two red and white pills. I gaped at her, not daring to believe it.

"I needed to save this."

**A/N: It's short, but I hope you enjoyed it!! Please review!! **


	2. Chapter 2

Thanks so much for the reviews! I'll try to update 'Memories' soon, but I have more ideas for this and I'd better type it down before I forget.

Chapter 2

I stared at Ai, who stood with her arms crossed, waiting for me to come out of shock. "That's the antidote?"

She nodded.

Two thoughts appeared in my head at the same time. One, 'Oh my god I can't believe it's really finished! No more learning the alphabet and staring at the god-damned times table!'; and the other, 'She went back for the antidote when a bomb is about to explode? So I stood there, torn between shouting out in joy, hugging everyone within sight, and yelling my head off at her.

The sirens of the police cars coming into the driveway made me turn, once again acknowledging the completely destroyed house.

"Haibara, wow, I can't believe... I mean thanks, though going back for it was totally..."

"Stupid? Reckless?" She suggested tonelessly, putting the antidote away in a small black case and tucking it into her pocket.

"Yeah." I agreed. "But never mind that, the house..."

"...At least we're both still alive." Hakase said, but he glanced at the charred remains of the house, and I know what he was thinking. All their possessions, his inventions, the lab, and most important of all, all the memories they had there.

"I guess I should thank the fact that Vermouth hates me so much she can't kill me without letting me know that she's the one who did it." Ai said, as an ambulance drove up and two EMTs got off to tend their injuries.

"You can stay at my place, there's plenty of empty rooms." I offered, while mentally promising myself to track Vermouth down no matter what. "I'll be moving there too, if we're turning back."

"But Shinichi, are you sure it's safe to turn back now?" Hakase asked, "Wouldn't they try again now that they'd failed to kill us?"

"It wouldn't make a difference whether we turn back or not," Ai interrupted. "Even though she knows about our identities, she won't tell Gin because she'll want to kill me herself."

And since Ai is the most paranoid out of all of us when it comes to the black syndicate, if she says it's so, then it probably is.

So it's settled. We told the three kids that we're moving, and gave them out email addresses so they could still contact Conan ans Ai. Even though I hate being a kid, I would really miss them, and I could tell that Ai does as well. And I couldn't help pointing out to her that Mitsuhiko seemed especially degected.

Then I went back to the detective agency with Hakase, explaining that we will be moving away to America. I was so happy to be turning back that I didn't even protest as Ran insisted to take me out to dinner one last time and ordered the kids' meal for me. _That's the last kids' meal I'm ever going to see_, I thought happily.

* * *

After Hakase had settled down in his room, I showed Ai her room. "Here, you can stay here." I said, opening the door of one of the guest bedrooms.

"Thanks." she said, looking around.With it's walls painted a soft lavender (Mom insisted when we first moved in), and the simple furnishings, the room looked very similar to the one she had in Agasa Hakase's place, which is why I had chosen it, thinking she'd feel more at home. Our eyes met, and Ai acknowledged this with a small smile.

I had no idea when I first started calling her Ai in my head, only that it's been awhile, even though a stubborn part of me refused to call her by her first name to her face until she did so first.

I watched her sit down at the edge of the bed with a sigh, and reached into her pocket for the few precious items she was able to salvage. She stared at the picture of her sister for a long time, a finger lightly tracing the crack at a corner of the frame before she gently stood the frame up on the bedside table. She took out the detective badge, and the key chain that Ayumi had given her, smiled reminiscently, then opened the drawer and placed them inside.

And finally, she came to the antidote. She ran a hand on the smooth surface of the case, and stopped at the catch, her hand hovering in the air before it.

I waited with baited breath. She sighed and opened the case, revealing the two pills that lay side by side. Closing her fist around one of them, she turned towards me, holding the case with her other hand, motioning for me to take the remaining pill.

"Shall we?" She said with a small smile.

I grinned.

I went back to my room, and looked into the mirror. "Goodbye, Conan!" I said, setting down my glasses. I changed into my old clothes, and swallowed the pill.

White-hot pain spread almost immediately from the center of my heart, only to intensify and make my vision go hazy. And then everything went black.

* * *

A/N:I have a huge exam in May, one that decides which high school I will go to, so starting from September I am banning myself from the computer in order to study. But after that I'm definitely coming back, and I won't be giving up on anything, so even though updates will be VERY slow, the stories WILL get finished, if anyone wants to read the end.


	3. Chapter 3

Shoutouts to nataeiy1, you'll have to see the ending for yourself!(grin); Miyano Ran for checking up on my mistakes; AiEdogawaIsaBellaCullen, alexzhou04,and everyone else who read and reviewed.

Disclaimers: I do not, could not, and will not ever own DC (sigh), great, I'm depressed now!

Chapter 3

I regained consciousness, feeling like someone had continuously pounded my head with a hammer while I was asleep. And the effort of trying to sit up only resulted in my crashing down again, blinded with the immense headache. I had almost forgotten what I was doing there, until the dizziness finally subsided enough for me to sit up and notice that the floor seemed much farther away than usual. Rushing to the mirror, I stared at my eighteen year old self, hardly daring to believe it.

It worked! I laughed out loud, just to hear my grownup voice again.

The clock hanging on the wall read 11:30. I'd been out for two hours. So she must be back too, by now.

"Haibara!" I called, knocking. "We're back! I can't believe we're back!"

Through the door I heard her swear.

"I know, the headache is awful." I turned the doorknob.

"Kudo Shinichi, don't you _dare_ come in!" she yelled suddenly before I could push the door open. "You come in and 'll make sure you die a slow and painful death!"

I let go of the doorknob, knowing that she doesn't make idle threats. "Why, what's wrong?"

"I..." The volume of her voice took a sudden drop. "I... forgot that I have nothing to wear..."

"Oh...er... hold on..." Rushing back to my room, I grabbed one of my school shirts. "Here, put this on for now, then we'll find something... I remember mom has some clothes she left here in..."

"The closet in the spare bedroom next to the master bedroom, second drawer." she finished as the door opened by a crack and her hand came out to take the shirt from me.

"How do you know?" I asked, taken aback.

"We searched this place several times, Kudo-kun." she said. "Figures you'd give me something almost translucent..." she added, the sarcasm back in her voice.

I rolled my eyes. "Like I would want to see anything." I retorted.

The door opened, and Ai emerged, wearing a 'say anything and you die' expression on her face.

My jaws dropped. I instantly take that back.

Wait. I did NOT just think that.

My shirt was a couple sizes to big for her, so it hung loosely to just above her knees, displaying the creamy skin of her slender legs. Her face no longer had the childish features, and she was just... wow... Is this really her? Not that she wasn't pretty before, it's just that the uncertain way she held herself now doesn't seem like the Haibara Ai I knew for so long.

"It's nice to see you speechless for once but if you're done staring, you should know that it's snowing outside and I'm freezing." she said, crossing her arms.

Yep, it's her alright.

"Right... sorry..."

So we went off in search of the clothes mom had left.

"Urgh, does she own anything that's not lace or a v-neck?" Shiho complained with obvious disdain, holding a black lace teddy at arm's length.

"Don't thrust that thing at me!" I yelped in horror, "Don't you think that it bothers me too? She's my mother!"

At last we found a periwinkle blue nightgown that she reluctantly accepted.

"I'm going back to my room then," I said as she left to change.

I picked up the book dad sent me a week ago, flipped to the page I marked down, and sat down on the bed to read. Briefly I glanced at my cell phone, and had to stop myself from picking it up and calling Ran, to tell her that I'm back, to hear her yell at me again, to tell her that I'm sorry for making her worry.

_It's midnight, she'll karate-kick you, _The voice in my head cautioned.

The door opened. "What's with that dazed look? Thinking about your girlfriend?" A taunting voice said. I looked up to see Shiho with a smirk on her face.

"What do you want?"

"Mind if I use your computer?"

"Go ahead." I said grumpily. "What do you need it for?"

"Research."

"What research? You're done with the antidote."

"I do more than analyze APTX in my spare time, Kudo-kun." she said by a way of answering, with an offhand shrug.

It'd be so nice to get a straight answer now and then, but it's obvious that it won't happen.

"What are you typing?" I asked, craning my neck to look over her shoulders. She turned the monitor off.

"None of your business."

"Fine, I don't want to know anyways." I said, turning back to my book.

...

...

Silence, except for her typing and the occasional turn of a page from me.

...

"What is it?" I blurted finally.

"I thought you didn't want to know."

"Haibara!"

She smirked. "Yes?"

"Fine!" I switched of the lamp on my bedside table. "I'm going to bed."

She shrugged, and resumed typing.

Great, the first day she's here and she's already driving me crazy.

* * *

A/N: pls r&r!! I'll be updating soon!


	4. Chapter 4

**Long time no see!! God I miss typing!! Anyway, now that I'm done **

**with the test, I'm back!! So sorry I kept everyone waiting for so long, **

**I promise to work extra hard to make up for the lack of update!**

Disclaimer: Nope, I don't own Detective Conan, never has, never will. Sad, isn't it?

Chapter 4

I woke with a buzzing in my ear, the headache resulted from the antidote was still going strong. Swearing under my breath, I groped blindly for my cell phone so I could see the time, only to find that it isn't there. Instead my hand closed around the frame of Miyano Akemi's photograph, and vaguely I recall that I'm in Ai's room.

Picking myself up from the bed, I managed to locate the aspirin bottle in the medicine cabinet. The sudden distance from the ground was still disorienting.

It was only seven thirty. Hakase's steady snoring could be heard a couple rooms away, and judging by the complete silence from my room, Shiho was probably still asleep too.

And that left boredom, and absolute silence except for the clock ticking on the wall next to me.

I wandered through room after room of the house, like I was giving myself a welcome home tour. I rarely came back when I was Conan, the last time being when Ran dragged me along when she came in to clean.

I went to my room, careful not to make the floorboards creak as I tiptoed to the closet. I held my breath when Shiho stirred, but she only turned to pull the blanket around her.

Briefly I glanced at the computer on my desk.

If I knew her like I know I do, whatever she was researching last night would be password protected. The password would be easy enough to guess… I think, though past records show that this isn't a wise thing to do. Deciding not to chance her aiming a gun at my head, I forced myself to leave the computer be. I took what I needed and went to change in the bathroom.

I had no idea where I would go when I stepped outside in the ankle-deep snow. I walked to the Detective Agency, pacing on the sidewalk downstairs, wondering if I should knock, wanting to see the surprised look on Ran's face when she answers the door. But I knew Ran had a karate meet yesterday, and today is a Saturday, so that meant that it would be a few hours until she would be able to answer anyone who woke her with anything other than a kick to the face.

So I turned on my heels and called a cab.

* * *

Shiho's brows furrowed when I opened the door, forgetting to stay quiet this time. I checked my watch. Oh well, it's late enough.

In the corner of my eye I saw her stir. She patted the blanket next to her uncertainly, as if just noticing that she wasn't where she fell asleep. She sat up abruptly.

"What…" she relaxed slightly when she confirmed that she wasn't taken by the organization, but she looked around in confusion at her surroundings.

I watched with amusement until she finally composed her face into an expression of mild indifference, and asked in a way that suggested she was inquiring what the weather was outside.

"Why the hell am I on your bed, Kudo?"

I almost laughed. "You fell asleep at the desk last night," I said, "Don't worry, I slept in your room. I only came back her to change a while ago."

Her carefully composed expression slipped for a fraction of a second as she gave me an incredulous look. "You changed in here? What if I'd woken up?"

"Lucky you then, don't mention it to my fan club— just kidding!" I added quickly, dodging the pillow she aimed at my head.

"Anyway, here," I tossed her the paper bag I'd brought. "You can thank me later. It's not easy finding a store that opens before ten"

She caught it with ease, looking at me questioningly before peering inside. From the bag she drew out a long-sleeved gray blouse made from a soft knitted fabric, a pair of faded jeans, and an ivory white winter coat.

For a while she said nothing, and simply examined the items silently.

"I though you'd might want something to wear before you can go shopping properly." I was starting to get restless. She still wasn't saying anything. "I didn't know what you'd like…I saw a coat like that in a magazine you were reading once…the receipt is in there if-"

"Kudo-kun," she interrupted, folding the clothes over the crook of her arm.

"Yeah?"

"Thanks."

"A genuine thanks from Miyano Shiho? Someone pinch me!" I said in feint shock. She rolled her eyes.

"I'll go get out of this then…" she gestured at the nightdress. "Oh, and I didn't know you take an interest to fashion magazines."

"Oi!" It was my turn to throw a pillow at her. She dodged it quite nimbly and opens the door, the same moment footsteps sounded from downstairs.

"Shinichi?"

We both froze at the voice.

"Ah, morning, Ran-kun!"

The two of us stepped outside to find Ran and Hakase staring at us.

Shit.

"Shinichi?" Ran said tentatively, whereas Hakase was babbling something incoherent and at last settled for giving me a what seemed to be his best impression of a 'you'd better no have done anything to my daughter' glare.

Shiho and I exchanged an exasperated glance.

It was Shiho who spoke first. "I… left some things in Kudo-kun's room." She said, holding up the paper bag.

Hakase raised an eyebrow.

"I'll… go change then." She finished, making her getaway, and what's more, leaving me to deal with the mess.

Hakase glanced at me a final time before deciding to make his exit as well. "I'll… make breakfast." He said, obviously giving me a chance to talk to Ran.

_Great first meeting, huh?_ The annoying voice in my head said dryly.

We stood in the hall in awkward silence, both waiting for the other to speak first.

"That was… er…" I began, attempting to explain the previous episode, and failed, falling silent.

"You're back. For good this time?" she asked.

I grinned. "Yep. The case is finished. You're dad can expect serious competition now."

She smiled, an uncertain smile, like we'd been apart so long that it's hard to start a conversation.

"I missed you." I said. "I wanted to call yesterday, but it was late."

She nodded, and conversation died once more.

"What have I missed in school?" I asked.

_School? You're really out of topics, aren't you?_

God, I want to kill that voice.

"Not much that you don't know already. Calculus and stuff." Ran shrugged, then launched into a story of a new math teacher.

Hakase poked his head into the hall, informing us that French toast is ready.

Shiho obviously wanted to make sure everything died down before she came out, because I know it doesn't take a person fifteen minutes just to chance into one outfit.

"Shiho Miyano," she introduced herself when she finally appeared down the stairs, and shook Ran's hand. "I've heard a lot about you from Kudo. I helped with the case he was on."

Ran glanced my way. _You always said you work alone,_ her eyes said, but she said nothing out loud.

For reasons I never figured out why, Shiho never seemed to be able to act herself around Ran. They chatted, though throughout the conversation it was evident that she is out of her comfort zone. Ran's usual conversation topics aren't quite what she's used to. She soon announced that she was she had errands to run and left, pulling her hood low over her head so she wouldn't be recognized by the syndicate.

I look at Ran, who stared at Shiho like she's trying to remember something. I could tell she is noting the resemblance between Shiho and Ai, and know that she found it unlikely that Shiho was a partner in my investigations. I _did_ always say that I needed no help with cases, but that was as close to the truth as we could tell, if we were to exclude the syndicate from the story. We did work on a lot of cases together lately.

Speak of the devil, minutes later Shiho returned, a grim expression on her face.

"I thought I should inform you," she said, slightly out of breath like she'd been in a hurry to deliver the news. "There's been a murder. You should probably get there before the press."

From her expression I see that she didn't like the fact that the media would hang around. She raised her eyebrows in a silent question.

"Let's go then. I'll stay inconspicuous," I added quietly, so only Shiho heard.

She looked skeptical, but said nothing. And we headed out to meet with the police.

**A/N: Thanks a billion to everyone that reviewed me in my absence. I hope my writing skills haven't gotten rusty. Don't forget to put in a review!**


	5. Chapter 5

**A huge thanks and cookies all around for those who reviewed. I'll skip the chitchat and get to the chapter right away!**

Disclaimer: Detective Conan is, unfortunately Gosho Aoyama's, with no disrespect.

Chapter 5

Few conversations were exchanged during the walk to the crime scene. I asked Shiho for the details for the case, but she said that she only made sure that it's impossible to be the syndicate's doing, and that she thought I would figure the rest out anyways.

I became aware of Ran's gaze on us, looking from the two of us and making me feel self-conscious. I was sure her gaze would burn a hole through the back of my head anytime now. I don't blame her, knowing what it must have looked like this morning. I looked at Shiho and saw that her expression remained indifferent, but she let her steps slow to walk beside Hakase, leaving Ran next to me, pointing out the way when necessary.

The earlier awkwardness between Ran and I evaporated as she began recounting a party that Sonoko held, inviting half their grade. Knowing Sonoko, I would bet most people on the guest list was male.

Except for her occasional mention of Conan, the conversation between Shiho and Hakase, I could almost believe that the whole APTX was only a dream I'd just woken up from.

"When can we go to Tropical Land again?" she asked suddenly, after mentioning a case that I'd solved as Conan a few months back that she thought I'd be interested in.

"Eh?" Why would she want to go there? I shuddered at the memory of seeing Gin and Vodka that day.

"You left before the fireworks and the parade started last time we were there, remember?" she said. "And the other time I was there a psychopath tried to kill me. The fireworks are supposed to be really pretty."

"I don't know…" I mumbled, not at all keen to revisit the place.

"Never mind then…" Ran murmured, looking disappointed. This caused a small panic attack on my side.

"Er… hey, you want to catch a movie or something after this case?" I offered hastily. Her expression brightened, to my relief, and began listing the movies in theater…

Shiho led us to a manor on the south side of Beika. The vine-covered front gate was opened, and many people seemed to have already gathered in front of the front door. Snow covered the roof of the building, just barely revealing the roof's original blue.

"Dad said a professor of some sorts lived here alone. I wonder what he studies…" Ran said, looking at the gargoyles and stone lizards glaring down upon us on the rooftop. The yard too was decorated with stone statues of different sizes and shapes. They made the yard look too serious to be inviting.

No footsteps lead to the back door, I noted. Though if the killer did leave footprints towards the front entrance in the snow, the crowd would have trampled it beyond recognition.

Inspector Megure emerged from the front door followed by a thin tearful woman whom I guess found the body. Immediately the crowd pushed forward. He slammed the door behind him before anyone could look inside. This caused a pile of snow to slide from the roof, hitting him squarely on the head. I laughed as he shook his hat free of snow, looking thoroughly disgruntled.

He looked up, seeing the four of us for the first time, and brightened considerably.

"Police! Civilians please keep out of the way!" He bellowed, trying to squeeze past the crowd of onlookers with little success. The inspector wasn't exactly known for being skinny. Giving up altogether, he glared menacingly at the closest person to him, who stepped back, if only for a few seconds, and waved us over impatiently.

"Sato! Takagi! Get everyone who isn't involved in the case away from the crime scene!" he said irritably to the two startled officers behind him.

"The press too, if you don't mind." I added, stepping over the yellow crime scene tapes that Takagi and Sato keiji are now trying to seal the house with.

Inspector Megure gave me a quizzical glance. "You're keen to stay out of the news lately."

I shrugged, and did not elaborate. "What's the case?"

"It looks like armed robbery. The victim was professor in Tokyo University, Professor Matsukura Korenori. His secretary, Usami Koree found the body." He scowled and the woman behind them, before adding in a low voice, "She found the need to go screaming around the neighborhood before someone finally calls us. And these people seemed to think they should at least get to see the body just because they offered to lend their cell phones to the poor woman."

I stifled a laugh as, shaking his head at how people just don't seemed to listen to the police anymore, the inspector led us inside the ornately carved doors, closing the closing it firmly behind him to stop anyone else from entering.

Chiba keiji greeted us from the front door, which he seemed to be guarding previously. He took out a notebook and asked Usami-san, the secretary, how exactly she found the body. I listened enough to learn that she had not seen the professor since she went home the previous day, but had called him to remind him of a meeting late at night.

Ran gasped when we entered the library, where the stone cold body lay. Usami-san gave a strangled wail.

I'd expected to see the forensic team examining the house and dusting for prints, but the house is surprisingly empty.

I made a quick mental scan around the room. Ancient wooden carvings, necklaces strung with colorful glass beads, and ceremonial masks lined a glass cabinet on the undamaged half of the room. On the other side, books fell out of the neat shelves on the wall, the desk knocked to the side, obvious signs of a struggle. The safe on the wall was forced opened, the metal around the lock heavily scarred. The body was slumped against the bookshelves. Dried blood clung to the victim's forehead. An African stone carving of serpents coiled around the body of a wild haired woman was neatly placed on a table by the door. It had dark red clinging to surface. Otherwise there seemed to be no visible signs of blood. An unfinished cup of coffee had fallen from the desk and stained the dusty carpet, littering the floor with shards of broken china.

The body had a gaping wound, and the blood from it covered one side of his face. It looks like the fatal blow.

"What was in the safe?" I asked.

"Only some money, and legal papers. Nothing too valuable."

"It's not just robbery. It's a murder." I said, picking the stone statue up carefully with a handkerchief.

"Do build up the suspense, none of us wants the murder to be solved anytime soon." Shiho said under her breath. I ignored her, and explained,

"The artifacts in the glass case are undamaged. If it were a robbery, there would be no reason to leave something that could easily be sold at high prices."

"True, but it's possible that the robber didn't recognize the value of these pieces." Shiho pointed out. "And carrying those outside will have made the culprit more memorable, and more likely for him to be identified later should the police asks around.

"But there are also necklaces, aren't there?" I said, "It would be easy to pawn, and small enough to be carried in a pocket."

Inspector Megure nodded, and asked Usami-san for a list of students and associates of the deceased. "I'll have Takagi check these people for their alibis as soon as I know when the victim died. Our forensic department is short staffed, they are heading over here from Haido as we speak, but until then we couldn't get an accurate time of death."

Careful as not to disturb any evidence, I examined the body. I could still feel Ran looking from me to Shiho. Her gaze made it hard to concentrate.

The victim's jaws are stiff, but although his skin is cold with death, I could still bend his fingers without difficulty. "He's been dead for about six hours." It was a rough estimate, but probably not very far off the mark.

Inspector Megure nodded, and reached for his cell phone.

"Wait. The time of death can't be that long ago." Shiho said, to everyone's surprise. She knelt beside the body, lifting the edge of the victim's shirt. Bruises covered the side the body lay on in small dark red patches.

"Postmortem lividity. If he'd been dead for over two hours, there should be more obvious signs of discoloration."

"But the body is too stiff to have been dead for less than two hours," I pointed out, mildly annoyed that I hadn't thought to check for lividity. I have to stress the fact that I was distracted.

Shiho smirked.

Although put off that she had found something I missed, I suppressed a smile. The inspector is now looking at Shiho with both admiration and annoyance. He clearly didn't like outsiders solving his case. "You are—?"

Shiho looked at me fleetingly before answering. "Shiho Miyano. I studied biochemistry and toxicology in America." She said. Obviously I was supposed to remember this, so when asked about her identity, our story would be the same. "I met Kudo-kun on a case that came to both our attentions."

She glanced at me again, and I gave a nod, confirming the story and trying to arrange my expression to look like I hadn't just heard it.

"So, why is the rigor mortis inconsistent with the lividity?" Hakase prompted, before more questions could be made.

Shiho looked at me, as if asking if I would like to explain. I looked at the body slumped on the ground. The blow to the head was fatal… wasn't it? Flipping the eyelids up—the secretary looked faint again—I saw that the victim's eyes were bloodshot. There was no sign of strangulation on the neck.

"He died of suffocation?" I said, hating the fact that it came out as a question. I was extremely annoyed to find that Shiho now wore the expression of being told that one plus one equals two from someone who had just figured it out. A vein throbbed in my temple. How can someone be this infuriating?

"I'll need to see his liver for sure, but it's likely to be a kind of neurological poison."

She glanced at the glass cabinet, and the books that had fallen from the bookshelves. "Professor Matsukura studies archeology of some kind, right?"

"Hai…South American and African cultures." Usami-san said, looking at Shiho uncertainly.

"I'm not sure, but I think it's a form of curare. It's a kind of poison used by Native Americans for poison arrows, once used as a muscle relaxant, but it's lethal when not carefully controlled, causing the muscles to seize up and thus suffocating the victim."

"Poison?" Takagi keiji interrupted. He had entered the room without our notice, his shirt rumpled and hair sticking in every direction. The crowd obviously hadn't taken kindly to being told to leave. He glanced at the smashed coffee mug, and pointed at the secretary. "So the coffee's been poisoned!?"

"No," I interrupted. Shiho shrugged and stepped back with an airy wave as if handing over the rest of the explaining. I scowled.

"The poison is inactive orally," I said. "That's how the natives hunting with it can eat without being affected by the poison."

"There are samples of tubocurarine in the university from a symposium on herbs and medicine from South America." Usami-san offered.

Upon, hearing this, the inspector ordered Sato keiji to look through the surveillance tapes at the university.

Half an hour later, the forensic team arrived, only to find that fingerprints were already collected and the carving and other pieces of evidence bagged and neatly labeled with Shiho's handwriting.

It was a straightforward case. But it took a long time cross-referencing the many people on the tapes and the list of possible suspects. We ended up with four suspects, three of them students and the other a rival professor, and lots of theories but no substantial proof.

After Shiho's display of knowledge on toxins and her forensic skill, Ran was being perfectly friendly to her. She asked about her work in America, and hearing about her stay in Hakase's house when the bomb went off, offered to take her shopping with Sonoko in the weekend. They even went to buy lunch together for the police and the rest of us when everyone was starting to get irritated by hunger and the lack of process.

It was already late afternoon when the culprit, the other professor who was jealous of the victim and wanted to lead the department. He staged a break-in to make it seem like a random robbery, but couldn't bear to smash the artifacts. The professor was knocked unconscious before being injected with poison.

I glanced at my watch. The movie Ran said she wanted to see would start in fifteen minutes, and there was still the police report.

Shiho tapped me on the shoulder. "Go ahead, Hakase and I can help with the reports. The inspector said it's alright, and I'll make sure we don't get mentioned."

"Thanks," I said gratefully. "I owe you one."

"I know," she shrugged offhandedly. "I need a new wardrobe, look up Prada's fall line. Though a handbag will do."

"Oi…" I was on the brink of coming up with a sarcastic reply, but Inspector Megure called her over. He looked so impressed earlier that I wouldn't be surprised if he decided to hire her as head of the forensic department.

Ran was sitting next to Hakase, chatting with him while staring at the tribal masks apprehensively. I smiled, knowing that she must me remembering the horror film she watched last week.

"Ran, want to get out of here?" I asked. "We should hurry if we want to get there before the movie starts."

She smiled. "Sure, let's go."

Hakase threw us a look of deep envy, as we walked past him. "Why couldn't Ai-kun find some way for us to skip out on the reports too?" I heard him mutter, then shutting up abruptly when Shiho gave him a look.

* * *

**A/N: Ran Shinichi scenes ahead... pls r&r and offer ideas because I'm no good at this.**

**Okay, now the part where I ramble on pointlessly. I've just seen the 13th movie!! Good stuff! PM me for spoilers!!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Don't kill me! I didn't mean to leave for so long! Anyway thanks to Uninspired Author for bringing me back. He brought Ai-chan out (read his new fic if you don't know what I'm talking about), and I couldn't refuse Ai-chan. Anyway I hope you don't beat me up too bad for my long absence, and I hope you all haven't given up on me. *hopeful smile***

Chapter 6

I couldn't concentrate on the movie. Dimly I'm aware that there's a girl somehow crying her heart out on the screen, but I can barely remember her name, let alone even beginning to register the reason.

"Poor Matsuko-chan…" Ran murmured, wiping her eyes. I gave a nod, hoping not to appear too confused. As it happened, she was too focused on the screen to pay attention to me anyways.

I let my gaze examine the theater instead. For a weekend, it is surprisingly empty, and everyone seemed to be sitting in couples. Several guys looked just as bored as I felt. I don't know why girls seem to love these movies so much. Or most girls anyways, Shiho would probably scoff at the summary.

But it's not the movie that matters. It's been so long since the last time I was able to go out with Ran as Shinichi. So long since I can be with her without worrying about hurting her because I know I'll have to leave again in a matter of hours...

"Isn't it a great movie?" Ran said, depositing the empty popcorn bag in the trash bin. "Sonoko would be dying to hear about it. She's wanted to go see it since it came out last week—"

I nodded, trying to remember as much of the movie as I can so it wouldn't seem too obvious that I had been spacing out the whole while.

"You weren't concentrating though…" Ran said slowly, a smile tugging at the edge of her lips.

"Eh?"

"I know because Shinichi-kun could never concentrate on something that doesn't require mystery solving for more than five minutes!"

"That's not true… I think..." I said, smiling in defeat.

"But it's really nice of you to sit through it with me, I know you don't like these love stories…"

"They're not that bad…" I lied, as we sat down at a diner near the theater.

We were interrupted by a gasp.

"Ah, you're Kudo Shinichi, right? That detective?" The waitress taking our order exclaimed, her eyes wide. "I heard rumors saying that you were dead!"

"Shh!" I looked around. Thankfully there were a lot of people in the diner, and her voice did not carry over the loud conversations of the other customers. "I need to keep a low profile for a case I'm working on."

"Oh, sorry." The waitress nodded understandingly, her voice immediately lowering.

She took our order and left promising not to tell anyone she had seen me should anyone suspicious ask around.

"You're not still involved in anything dangerous, are you?" Ran asked, the worry clear in her voice.

"Of course not," I lied uneasily.

"But you're so careful of staying out of the news lately…"

"It's just…"

"You're not going to go away again, are you?

"When I was away, a hitter sent by the mafia that had close connections to a murderer we put behind bars attacked Shiho and me in revenge. The attack harmed many officers as well, and we decided to be more careful from then on, that's all." I said, making a mental note to remind Shiho of this story when I get home.

"Oh…"

"It sounds so dangerous, the case… I'm glad you're back now." Ran said, the smile slowly returning. "I guess I'm just not used to Shinichi-kun not bragging about all the cases he's solved for once!"

"Oi…"

"Ne Shinichi… Where's Shiho-chan from? I keep getting the feeling that I've met her before…"

I shrugged, paying way more attention than necessary to the bowl of ramen before me.

"She looks a lot like Ai-chan, don't you think?"

"Yeah I guess…" I mumbled.

"Speaking of Ai-chan, she and Conan-kun hasn't called yet. I wonder how they're doing in America?"

I nearly choked upon hearing the name Conan. Right, I'd promised that I'd call. And I'd already forgotten where I left the bowtie.

It was already dark by the time I walked her home, after a very disgruntled call from Occhan. I caught phrases like 'that detective brat' and 'this late into the night' and also something about missing the show hosted about Okino Yoko.

"Anyway, thanks for tonight, I had a great time." She said with a smile.

Then she hugged me.

My brain went on overdrive. I wonder if I'd die from too much blood rushing up to my head.

"Yokatta ne, Shinichi-kun's really back… I keep thinking that you'll disappear again…"

"Ran…" Before I can think of something to say, Ran leaned forward, and…

I think my brain's officially stopped working.

* * *

The living room was empty when I got home. Dishes were already washed and stacked neatly by the sink. Sounds of metal clanging can be heard from the library, which served as Hakase's temporary laboratory.

I could hear people talking in my room. Frowning, I turned the doorknob, brain just starting to register the familiar voices.

"Hattori!"

The trespassing detective ignored me completely.

"How do you do it!" He exclaimed in disbelief as Shiho, who was sitting across from him, calmly knocked the white king off the ancient chessboard with her rook.

"Checkmate." She said lightly.

"Five times in a row… and I haven't lost since junior high…" Heiji grumbled. "Kudo, you're finally home!" He frowned "...What's wrong with your face?"

"W-what?"

"Ran-san kissed him, I expect." Shiho said with a smirk.

"Really!" Hattori jumped up, an eager grin on his face. "You sure act fast, didn't you just turn back yesterday?—Wait, don't clear that up, I want a rematch later – So? Did she?"

I nodded, head still buzzing a little.

Hattori laughed for a full minute, before going on to ask about details relentlessly.

"Did the metantei's brain short-circuit because of his first kiss?" Shiho remarked when I couldn't summon a coherent reply. I glared at her. She smirked.

"What are you doing here anyways?" I demanded, effectively directing the subject from myself.

"I heard the antidote's done." He replied matter-of-factly. "Kazuha went out to shop when she heard you and Ran are out. Ah, she doesn't know about 'the kiss' yet, I'll call and let her kno—"

"Oi, that's none of your business—" I said loudly, attempting to grab the phone from him.

"I'll leave you two kindergarteners alone then," Shiho said, standing up with a yawn. "Kudo-kun, I'll be borrowing your laptop then."

"Again? What are you researching anyways?" I ask, as she shrugged off my question and left, taking the laptop with her.

"What about my rematch?" Hattori asked, suspending the fight over the phone as well.

"You've lost five times in a row already. Another game isn't going to get you any closer to winning." Shiho smirked. "Oyasumi."

"Oi, Shiho—!" We said in unison, but she closed the door with an offhand shrug.

"How could you stand living with her?" Hattori asked, aghast.

"Don't let her hear that, she'll murder you." I said darkly.

"Heiji!" I heard the door open and close. "Heiji, is Kudo-kun and Ran-chan back yet?"

"Ah, Kazuha! Guess what, Kudo kis—"

"Oi, you two!" Since when do people start barging into other people's homes without permission?

I looked at my watch. It wasn't even nine yet.

Kazuha was already looking ready to bombard me with questions. I remembered the half-finished detective novel in the bedside table.

"I'm going to bed." I announced flatly.

**A/N: Whew I'm done! It's so hard for me to write ShinRan stuff, hope I did okay… so r&r please! And I would like to remind everyone that voting for the drabble contest ends on July 31****st****, so if you haven't voted yet, please go vote for your favorites! The poll is on Uninspired Author's profile page, thx! :) **


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